Picker stick lug or block



NGV. 19, 1940. A P. L Ewls 2,222,352Y

PICKER s-TIcx LUG on BLOCK Filed April 1o, 1940 2"v 13 INVENTCH k C?. vmy Patented Nov. Y19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE azzassz PICKERs'rxcx tucsonA BLOCK Application April 10, 1940, Serial No., 328,976

3 Claims.

This invention relates to loom pickers and is more especially concernedwith the construction and mounting on the picker stick of the block orlug which engages the shuttle.

5 It has been customary for many years in the textile industry to makepicker stick lugs of such materials as leather, rawhide, ber, or variousrubber compositions. Because of the nature of the service required ofthese devices, the

l rate of wear of the lug itself is relativelyrapid, the strains imposedon the means for securing it to the picker stick are extremely severe,and it is, consequently, necessary to replace these lugs at relativelyAfrequent intervals.

15 The present invention deals especially with these conditions. It aimsto improve both the construction of the picker stick blocks or lugs andalso the means for mounting them on the picker stick with a view toproviding a more 20 serviceable construction, while still maintainingthe factor of manufacturing cost within entirely practical limits.

'I'he nature of the invention will be readilyun'- derstood from thefollowing description when 25 read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view showing the upper end 80 of a picker stickequipped with devices embodying the present invention;

FiFig. 2 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 3 is a plan view ofsaid parts;

$ Fig. 4 is a plan view of a strip from which the blocks are made;

Fig. 5 is a side view showing a slightly different form of picker blockand means for securing it in its operative position on a picker stick;and

4o Figs. 6 and 7 are angular and horizontal sectional views,respectively, of still another form of block made in accordance withthis invention, th'klatter figure showing it secured on a picker stiReferring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the construction there showncomprises a lug or block 2 mounted on the upper end of a picker stick i.The block 2 should be of a yielding, resilient character, so as toafford the necessary cushion- 50 ing action as the shuttle strikes itand comes to rest while being boxed at one end of its flight withoutcreating any substantial rebound. At the same time it must have thenecessary coherence and solidity to propel the shuttle with- 35 outdamaging either it or the picker mechanism.

For this reason I prefer to make the block 2 of some fibrous materialunited by a resilient binder into a solid block having the desireddegrees of hardness, elasticity, and the like. While it is contemplatedthat the block may be manufac- 5 tured in various ways, and of aconsiderable variety of materials, the best method which I have so fardevised includes the steps of making a long, narrow strip, such `as thatshown at I in Fig. 4, but having a. cross-sectional shape like that ofthe block illustrated at 2 in Fig. 3. This may conveniently beaccomplished by assembling strips of a somewhat open mesh fabric, suchas Osnaburg, one upon the other, these strips preferably being cut onthe bias and havingpreviously been frictloned and skim coated withrubber prior to being cut into strips. Because considerable heat isdeveloped in one of these blocks during operation, the rubber usedshould be a heat resisting compound possessing a high degree ofadhesion. Raised edges or beads 5 5, Figs. 3 and 4, are formed at theopposite margins of the back of the strip 4 leaving a groove 6 betweenthem to receive the forward edge of the picker stick I. This may bedone, for example, by properly proportioning the volume of material insuch a way that the excess of fabric and binder 'will be forced upwardlyduring the subsequent molding operation so as to produce these raisededges, or narrower strips of fabric may be so assembled with the othersas to produce essentially the same results after molding. Typicalcross-sectional dimensions for the strip are seven-eighths of an inch indepth (from -front face to the surface of the groove 6) and 35 one andan eighth inches in width. The beads 5 need be only approximately aneighth of an inch inheight. The strip should be vulcanized under highpressure, a pressure of at least one thousand pounds per square inchbeing desirable. 40 The composition and cure preferably are such thatthe finished strip has a hardness, as measured on a Shore durometer, ofsomewhere between 90 and 100. For most purposes I have found a value inthe neighborhood of 97 seems 45 to 'give the best results.

Blocks of suitable length, say one and threeeighths inches, for example,are cut from the strip, the cut forming the top surface of the blockbeing made at right angles to the front A face and that forming thebottom surface, Fig. l, being at an acute angle to said face so as toafford the necessary clearance with the raceway.

While the method above described produces a very satisfactory block orlug, it is contemplated that the rliber body may be made up in otherways and that equivalent binders, such as the synthetic rubbers andthose synthetic products known as Nylon, Koroseal, and others having theblock is centered on the stick by the groove in its rearward surface.Preferably the front and rearward edges of the picker stick, or thesurfaces of the parts 2 and 9 to be engaged with 5 the necessaryresilience and permanence of adthem, are coated lightly with oil orgrease, both 5 hesion, may be substituted for rubber. Such a for thepurpose of ultimately reducing the tendblock as that above described,however, has the ency of these parts to slip on the stick afternecessary resilience or yield, both radially and having once beenassembled thereon, and also longitudinally with reference to the point'of ini-` to provide a certain amount of lubrication facilipact of theshuttle, and when made of a proper tating the assembly of these memberson the 10 composition and correctly cured, gives a remark' picker stick.

ably long life without the laminations splitting It will be observedthat when this assembling away from each other, which has been animoperation has been completed, the parts 2, 1, I

' portant source of failure in prior art blocks or and 9 cooperate toencircle the upper end of the l5 lugsregardless of the materials ofwhich they 'are picker stick and they are elastically held in 16 made;position by the engagement of this assembly with As above indicated, animportant problem in the front and rear edges of the stick. In other theproduction of a satisfactory picker organizawords, the holder has aresilient oating connection consists in the mounting of the shuttle enytion only with the picker stick through the elastic `gaging lug or blockon the picker stick in such elements 2 and 9. The parts aresodimensioned 20 a manner that it will not work loose, will not that theassembling operation requires a very wear the stick, and will present noprojecting surconsiderable degree of compression of the hacker faceslikely to catch yarn. While picker stick pad or block 9, and a. lesserdegree of compreslugs or blocks embodying this invention may be sion ofthe member 2. This condition isA mainsecured to a picker stick in avariety of ways, tained during the life of the picker, and the legs 25 jsatisfactory arrangements for accomplishing this oi the holders 'l and 8are constantly held under object will be herein disclosed. tension atall times and notwithstanding the Referring again to Figs. l, 2 and 3,it will be tendency to relieve the compression on the backer observedthat the block 2 is held against the front block 9 at the instant ofimpact of the block 2 301 face of the picker stick by means of upper andwith the shuttle either in stopping or propelling v lower U-shaped wireholders 1 and 8, respecit. There is, however, a tendency for such imltively. These two members are similar; and the pact to move the block 2upwardly and this tendforward ends of leach are hooked into oppositeency can be effectively overcome by any kind of a sides of the block 2,while their rearward porstop. The arrangement which I prefery is totions extend around the back of the picker stick thread a screw I3downward diagonally into the 35 and there engage a resilient backerblock or pad picker stick at the upper end of the block, as 9 preferablynotched to receive the wires. These shown in Figs. 1 and 3, where itholds the block 1 holders are made of wire having a high degree of'against upwardmovement. tensile strength and sufliciently stiil.' sothat there In using rubber in a. picker stick lug there is 40 is nodanger of their hook-shaped ends being a tendency for therubbercomposition to poly-` 40 bent out of shape under the relatively highworkmerize and disintegrate at the area of contact `ing pressure. Asshown in Fig. 3, the forward with the extreme point vof the shuttle.This ends of the holder l are bent backwardly and inaction seems tooccur only at the very small area l wardly toward each other at anglesof approxi- `subjected to maximum pressure. I und that this mately 45,and they extend into holes drilled diiculty can be overcome by forming ahole, 45

`or otherwise formed in the sides of the block. In such as that shown atIl, in the block 2 so that addition, the lateral faces of the lug aregrooves, the material which otherwise would be subjected l"as shownV atI0, to receive the wiresso that they to this destructive action isremoved. I also 'will not project beyond the side faces of the iind thatas wear progresses, the hole is deepened block. in a rearward and upwarddirection at an angle 50 The hacker block or cushioning pad 9 may conofapproximately 15 with reference to a perpenveniently be made of rubberbut should be condicular to the front face of the block, and ac-`siderably softer than the block 2 and have a wider cordingly, I makethe hole i4 at this angle or at range of yield and elasticity. It ismolded with a any other angle necessary to suit specific condicentralcut-out at the back, bounded by abrupt tions. It should also be observedthat the points 55 `shoulders a and b, Fig. l, providing seats for ofattachment of the hook ends of the holders of .the curved ends of theholders 'I and 8. The the block are entirely outside of the area.exposed latter naturally sink into the rubber somewhat to the wear ofthe shuttle point. and because of this fact and the presence of the Ithas been vfound in practice that this conshoulders, there is no tendencyfor them to slip struction gives exceptionally satisfactory service. 60relatively to the pad or backer block itself. Pref- Not only does ablock made in the manner above rabiy a Stiifening element 0i' 801116appropriate described possess the peculiar combination of kind, Such aSa textile 00rd Or B stiffer rubber elasticity and rmness required for agood picker, COmPOllnd, iS mOlded into the body of this block but themounting of the block on the stick seems along the side thereof incontact with the stick to -overcome completely the objections experi- 653, where it gives longitudinal stiffness and forms enced in using priorart constructions. abackbone whichis particularlyusefulin mount- It willbe seen from an inspection of Fig. 2 ing the' picker assembly on thestick. that as the hole I4 enlarges, due to the wearing In assemblingthe DBJIS On the Dicker Stick the away of its walls by long continueduse, the fact holders 1 and s are hooked into the opposite sides thatthe warp and suing threads of which the 70 0f the block 2. the hackerblock 0r CuShiOniDg/ plies of fabric in the block are composed aredispad 9 is placed in the loops of the holders, and posed diagonallywith reference to the sides of the upper end of the picker stick then isforced the block, is of very material assistance in maininto positionbetween the parts 2 and 9, as taining the strength of the reduceddimensions shown in. Figs. `l and 3. During this operation of thesewalls. In other words, this disposition 75 of the threads, due to thebias cutting of the stock when the strip l is made, presents longlengths of threads anchored securely in the thicker portions of theblock. This would be true even if the .hole i4 became so enlarged as toalmost break through into the opposite edges. On the other hand, if thethreads were disposed parallel to the edges of the block, the walls atopposite lateral edges would be weakened very materially by such wear,and the horizontal threads could offer very little resistance indeed tolateral spreading, thus bringing practically all of the resistance tothis force upon the threads extending parallel to said edges and lyingbetween those edges and the hole. The bias cut construction, therefore,presents a very substantial advantage over the prior art construction.

A further and important advantage of this construction is that the partsof the holders nowhere project beyond the surfaces of the block 2,except at its back where they enter or leave the grooves. This isimportant in eliminating the presence of parts liable to catch on theyarn and in minimizing the opportunity for lint and fly to collect.

For the foregoing reasons this construction affords a long period ofservice. When replacement becomes necessary it may be accomplishedeasily and quickly. At the same time the expense of the entire pickerstructure compares favorably with that of t' le less serviceable prior'art constructions.

A slight variation of the form of the invention above described isillustrated in Mg. 5. Here the block 2' is like the block 2 except thatthe holes for receiving the hooked ends of the holders I5 and I6 areinclined in vertical planes instead of in approximately horizontalplanes, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, and these holders extend across theupper and lower ends, respectively, of the block. In other words, theholders are not hooked into the opposite lateral sides of the block 2,but into the top and bottom sides of the block 2'. At the rearward sideof the picker stick 3 the holders are engaged with a resilient packerblock o'r cushioning pad 9 as in the construction previously described.This arrangement has the advantage, however, of permitting the holdersto lie directly in contact with the opposite lateral surfaces of thepicker stick 3' and thus making a very compact arrangement oiferinglittle opportunity for accumulation of y and little danger of catchingin the yarn.

Another form of picker stick lug or block embodying the invention isshown at 2" in Figs. 6 and 7.' Its construction is essentially like thatof the block 2 except for the differences required because ofmodications in the means for securing this block to a picker stick. Theopposite lateral surfaces of this block have grooves. one of which isshown at il in Fig. 6, molded or otherwise formed in them, to receivethe apertured ends of a U-shaped sheet metal holder I8. Fig. 7, whichstraddles the picker stick 3. The holesin the forward ends of the holderare shaped.. to receive the projections IS-I! which are partiallyencircled by the grooves I1, and the holder is so biased that its legsor arms tend to Spring toward each other. Thus these ends are embeddedin and interlocked with the block and when this assembly, including theelastic pad 9, is forced on to the stick 3, it holds the block andthe'pad rmly against the front and rear surfaces, 4respectively-of thestick. In this construction, as in those above described, the metalholder is supported in a floating condition relatively to the stick byvirtue of the fact that it has no connection with the stick exceptthrough the elastic block and pad.

'I'his application'is a continuationV in part of my pending applicationSer. No. 261,752 led March 14, 1939, for improvements in Loom pickers.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is:

1. A picker stick lug comprising a series of plies of fabric positionedone upon the other in face to face relationship and all extending in agenerally parallel relationship to the front face of the lug, and aresilient lbinding 'medium securing al1 of said plies together into asolid but yielding block, the warp and filling threads of said fabricplies lying diagonally with reference to the lateral edges of saidblock.

2. A picker stick block comprising a series of plies of fabricpositioned one upon the other in face to face relationship and l'allextending in a. generally parallel relationship to the front tace of theblock, said plies being cut on the bias, whereby the warp 'and llingthreads of said fabric plies lie diagonally with reference to thelateral edges of said block, a resilient binding medium securing all ofsaid plies together into a solid but yielding block, the back of saidblock having a vertical groove therein to receive the front edge of thepicker stick and said groove being anked by parte forming an integralpart of the block.

3. A picker stick block comprising a series of plies of fabricpositioned one upon the other in face to face relationship and allextending in a generally parallel relationship to the front face of theblock, said plies being out on the bias, whereby the warp and fillingthreads of said fabric plies lie diagonally with reference to thelateral edges of said block, and a resilient bind-l ing materialsecuring all of said plies together into a solid but yielding block,said block having recesses in the opposite sides thereof to receiveparts of a metallic holder for securing the block to a picker stick.

ARTHUR P. LEWIS.

